


Bonfire

by hittedman



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, its really sweet at the end i promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:01:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28679316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hittedman/pseuds/hittedman
Summary: In my AU where Claude and Dimtri actually joined forces on Gronder Field during The Blood of Eagle and Lion chapter, and Claude is able to set Dimitri's mind at ease - even if it's just for a moment.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	Bonfire

**Author's Note:**

> ah angst so pain on my heart

Dimitri sat huddled close to the bonfire outside the Alliances’ basecamp’s tent, pulse pounding in his temples as he tugged his thick, matted fur cape closer around his broad body, subtly scooting closer to the warmth of the flickering flames.  
Those flames used to remind him of better times — back then in the academy, when he’d share his spot with Claude after another round of mock-battle training out on the field, tending to their scrapes and sore muscles. Those memories hadn’t left him, they’d just been.. buried. Replaced by the past he tried so desperately to move on from back then. It’s resting on his shoulders more than ever, now. As his one good eye watched the orange flames flick, his ears heard the charred wood crackle, he was taken back to the tragedy, seeing the bloodshed through the eyes of his younger self yet again.

His features tensed up tighter, his hands balling up into fists. As if the battle he had faced today wasn’t frustrating enough.  
 _She got away again. She slipped through my fingers like the viper she is. That woman... I’ll go straight to Enbarr myself. I’ll separate her h-_

“...Hey there, your princeliness.” A smooth, familiar voice broke through his thoughts. Not entirely, yet... but it brought him back down to earth a little bit. That voice still stung in his ears. Not only because of how long it’s been since they’d seen each other and how much Dimitri had changed, but the fact that he had been cursing Claude as his enemy just hours ago... Until he got some sense slapped into him. Not a lot, but it was enough to get him to stay calm.  
Dimitri said nothing. He stared into the flames, offering Claude a glance over his shoulder before returning to his thoughts, seemingly separated from the world around him, from Claude’s voice.  
Claude wasn’t phased, though. He kept on talking.  
“This seat taken..?” He asked before promptly plopping down next to the man anyway, regardless of his answer. Dimitri didn’t say anything. Just another glance from his tired eye. “..Nice night out, hm? You used to _adore_ this time of year. It’s nice and cool at night, but not enough to chill you down to the bone..! Justttt enough where the fire could warm you up just fine. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile wider than our nights together by the bonfires. All your stress just... melted away.” Claude went on, and on , and on. He knew Dimitri most likely wouldn’t wish to speak at the moment, as he’s been the entire day so far. Not a peep. Barelyeven a sigh from the man. But that was alright... Claude was alright. Dimitri needed him, and Claude knew that leaving him unattended wasn’t the best idea.  
And, well... He missed Dimitri. A lot.  
He took this moment to look the man up and down, really take in all the drastic changes. Dimitri’s packed on so much more muscle, his hair was messily grown down to his shoulders, his left eye now covered with an eyepatch.  
 _I wonder which battle gave him that scar. I can only imagine how many cover his skin under all that armor nowadays..._  
“Yknow... we can get you something comfier to wear aside from the armor, right?”  
Dimitri huffs through his nose.  
“No?”  
Silence.  
“...Right.”  
Claude let out a sigh. He didn’t intend on staying discouraged for long, though! But, he wanted to make one thing crystal clear to Dimitri. “..Well... I missed ya, big guy.” A smile stretched out across his face, one that had stayed exactly the same even now. Dimitri.. turned his head. (Note: Claude had intentionally sat next to his good eye, he felt that sitting in the man's blind spot would make him feel more on edge.) When he locked eyes with Claude, he felt his heart swell and twist within his chest. A feeling he hadn’t known he could feel anymore, as well as an old flame sparking up in his chest again. He reached a hand up, pressing it over his anxious, thumping heart, looking away from Claude and down at the ground. “...Hey—“ Claude carefully put a hand up on his shoulder, rubbing it slowly with his thumb. That small touch alone was enough to make Dimitri feel like he was going to melt like putty — when was the last time he had been touched in such a way....? So... Tenderly...? He was starved. So, so starved. “Everything alright...?” Claude’s smile turned to a frown. Had he said something wrong...? Was he pushing boundaries...? He felt anxiety curl in his stomach... But, before he could spit out an apology... a miracle happened.

“..It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you smile.” Dimitri uttered out in a soft, hoarse tone. Claude noticed just how much deeper his voice had gotten as well — how husky it was. The archer could hardly contain himself, the smile sprung so quickly back onto his face.  
“...Yeah...? It’s been a long time since I’ve heard your voice.”  
 _The battlefield doesn’t count, either._  
Dimitri was.. conflicted. He missed Claude. He missed their relationship, the young, blooming love they shared during their days at the monastery... Before everything became nothing but war and tragedy.  
 _Do I deserve to indulge in these feelings...? These comfortable, safe feelings...? I don’t deserve to live for myself. Why should I deserve to feel any sort of comfort, any sort of reassurance— I don’t. Why am I even trying to ask myself such a question._  
He tried to pull away, biting on his lip.  
“I don’t deserve your sympathy. I’m nothing but a cold blooded beast. A disgusting monster. Can't you smell the blood that covers me...? The suffering I’ve caused- can’t you see it...? The-““Hey, hey... Hey.” Claude shook his head, poking Dimitri’s shoulder just so the man could look back over at his glimmering smile again. “...Beasts kill with no remorse. You sit with their souls clinging to your shoulders, you think about what you’ve done. You hate what you’ve had to do, Dima...” He pulled out an old nickname he has for Dimitri back then. Dimitri felt a comfortable sense of familiarity in it.. It was nice. “...You’re no monster.”  
The prince was silent. His gaze was lost in the flames once more, his features tensed up tight. Claude spoke again. “...You’re not a lost cause, either ...” He carefully placed a hand over Dimitri’s heart, feeling it beat beneath his fingertips. “...The Dimitri I know and adore is still in there. What I promised out on Gronder Field today wasn’t empty. We can help you.... We want to help you.”  
Another long, extended silence. Claude felt his heart sink for just a moment, but.... It wasn’t long before Dimitri’s head fell, sunk down, staring dead at his lap. “..Dima-“  
He heard a pained whimper. He saw Dimitri’s shoulders tremble ever so slightly, a few tears rolling down his cheek and curling over his chin.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

Claude didn’t stop smiling. Instead, he scoot closer in front of Dimitri, wrapping his arms closely around the man’s neck and tugging his head down into his shoulder, pressing his lips to the top of his head.

“You’re going to be okay, Dima.”  
“...Promise...?”  
“Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> hi this is the first time I've posted a fic of mine somewhere be gentle - also I know the formatting mayyyyy be horrendous sorry abt that


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